1 Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) – sales, withdrawal ...

1. Preface and acknowledgement
1.1 Structure of the thesis
This thesis follows the guidance for PhDs from the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of
Copenhagen. First, I will present the context into which the three papers that this thesis consists of
belong. Next, I will present the objectives of the thesis and the three papers, and the methods and
results, which I will discuss in relation to each paper. The thesis will end with a conclusion and
perspectives.
Before starting this PhD project, I used to work as a senior health advisor to the Danish Consumer
Council and among other things also with medicines and the organisation around medicines. This
involved registration of adverse drug reactions of some specific medicines, and among these
benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This gave rise to several
questions, e.g.:
Why is the usage of newer antidepressants increasing so much and so fast
Why are benzodiazepines considered addictive, while SSRIs are not
What is the effect of the newer antidepressants
What are the adverse effects of newer antidepressants
What is the balance between benefits and harms
What is the definition of depression
The thesis encompasses three scientific papers:
1. An analysis of psychotropic drug sales. Increasing sales of selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors are closely related to number of products. International Journal of Risk & Safety
in Medicine, 2011; 23 (2): 125-32
2. What is the difference between dependence and withdrawal reactions A classification and
literature review of benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Addiction.
2011 Oct 12. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03686.x. [Epub ahead of print]
3